Hairpin vending machine



Feb. 23, 1943. c. A. HANF' 2,311,749

HAIR PIN VENDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 13, 1942 Patented Feb. 23, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT oFEicE HAIRPIN VENDING MACHINE Charles A. Hanf, Bronx, N. Y.

Application January 13, 1942, Serial No. 426,579 11 Claims. (01. 312-6 1) This invention relates to dispensing devices, particularly such as are adapted for hair pins.

One object of the invention is to provide a device having improved means for dispensing hair pins.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device having improved means for simultaneously dispensing a plurality of articles such as hair pins in separated condition for easy access.

Another object of the invention is to furnish a device of the nature set forth having improved means for housing and for facilitating the actuation of the dispensing means.

Another object of the invention is to construct a device as described having improved means for dispensing hair pins or similar articles and for holding the same at least in part projected for convenient removal at will.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the nature set forth having improved features arranged and combined in a novel man ner to effectuate the several advantages of the invention, and which is compact, simple, inexpensive to make, and convenient in use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the specification proceeds..

With the aforesaid objects in view, the invention consists in the novel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described in their preferred embodiments, pointed out in the subjoined claims, and illustrated in the annexed drawing, wherein like parts are designated by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan view showing a device embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation thereof in normal position.

Fig. 3 is a similar view with the device manipulated to dispense a plurality of hair pins.

Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation corresponding to Fig. 2 but with the cover in open position.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged top plan View of the device with the cover removed.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same on line 66 of Fig. 5.

Fig. '7 is a vertical sectional view on line 1-1 of Fig. 6.

Figs. 8 and 9 are fragmentary sectional views taken lengthwise of a hair pin dispenser head but with the hair pin ejector in the same position.

Fig. 10 is a horizontal fragmentary section on line l0 ll1 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view of a modification.

Fig. 12 is a vertical section of the device of Fig. 11, corresponding to the view of Fig. 9. I The advantages of the invention as here outlined are best realized when all of its features and instrumentalities are combined in one and the same structure, but, useful devices may be produced embodying less than the whole.

7 It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, that the same may be incorporated in several different con-- structions. The accompanying drawing, therefore, is submitted merely as showing the preferred exemplification of the invention.

- Referring in detail to the drawing, l5 denotes a device embodying the invention. The same may comprise a collapsible container which may include a lower box section l6, an upper box section I! and a cover [8 therefor. The upper box section I1 is pivotally connected to the lower box The cover [8 is hingedlyconnected at its rear end at 2| to the upper box section I! to open and close the container as indicated in the drawing, the cover being adapted to be opened in the normal position of the container as in Fig. 4. Separation of the sections l6 and I! may be prevented as hereinafterdescribed. Formed in said cover near the front end thereof are one or more openings 22 adapted to aline'with individual hair pin dispensing means positioned within the container. Each opening 22 has an extension 22a, forming a T-slot, this extension being for an ejector element as hereinafter described. With the cover in normal gravitationally closed position, the operator need merely press on the cover !8 to actuate the dispensing means hereinafter described by collapsing the container as shown in Fig. 3, and thus causing ejection of hair pins 23 through the different openings 22. On releasing the cover, the container automatically exshowing the hair pin fe r in different p i ns, 5 pands to initial position shown in Fig. 2, but the hair pins 23 still project sufficiently for easy removal. Being spaced from each other and upwardly projecting, access to the hair pins is readily had so that a hairdresser may rapidly work in arranging a coiffure.

Desirably the hair pins are retained in upright partially ejected position as in Fig. 3 for removal at will by the operator. For this purpose the openings 22 may frictionally engage the hair pins, to thus cooperate with the dispensing means to temporarily hold the hair pins projecting from the device I5.

Mounted in the casing are a plurality of hair pin dispensing devices 24, each of which is a duplicate of the other, so that a description of one of them will sufiice. The device 24. is located within the box section l1, being thus in normally fixed relation to the cover I8,.but being; movable relative to the base section I6 of the casing which,

thus constitutes an actuator operated by pressure of the operators hand onthe cover I18 of the casing as already described. The device 24'- may include a carrier member or bar 25 fixed to the box section 11, preferably being, mounted on the pintle-rod l 9andon across rod 26 at the front end of the box section I! fixed to theside' walls thereof. On. this. bar 25 is longitudinally fitted a channel guide member 21 whose web is curved, and which otherwise accurately conforms tothe shape of the hair pins. This channel member 2''! is pinned to the bar 25 as at spaced points 28; andat theforward end, the rod: 26 extends through holes in the flanges: of the channelmember to thus secure the latter to the rod 26, and in this manner securing the bar 25 to said rod 23..

Mounted; on the guide member 2'! at the front end thereof is: a head 29' which. is formed like a yoke so that therod 26: passes through the holes inthe arms. or flanges thereof to thus fixedly secure thehead' 29- to the guide member- The top rear edge portion 30 of. the head 29' is upwardly offset as by an upsetting operation. to form an extension, and the" rear portions ofthe opposite sides of the head 29 are similarly outwardly offset asat- 3 I to thus afford a channel shaped space or passagefor receiving the front end of a channel shaped feeder element 32 for the: hair pins, which is snugly slidably fitted on the guide member 21 and is snugly slidably received in the parts 30, 3f. Normally driving the feeder element 32. forwardly, is a tension coil spring 33' whose rear end is fixed tothe pintle rod I9, and whosefront end is fixed to the feeder element 32- as by a lug 34- struck out from the element 32. This spring is trained overapul-Iey 35 which is journaled on the rod 26 and isso mounted as to be maintained in close relation alongside of its head 29.

Formed in the head 29 and in the guide member 21 are alined top openings 36', 31', respectively, through which the-ejector element 39 passes. It will be noted that the opening 36 is formed just forward of the offset part 30, and" that the opening 36 registers with a central rearward opening or extension at 38 formed in the feeder 32' (see Figs. and 8'). This extension, which closes the small end of the T-shaped opening 36 affords additional clearance for engagement by the ejector element 33 of the hairpins. Thus the ejector element 39 is enabled to reliably engage under the bight of the very last hair pin that may be left, andthis is its particular purpose. The top end of the ejector element is concaved as at 40, and one of the resultant points is adapted to enter the extension to engage the very last hair pin, while the latter is under the pressure of the feeder element 32.

It will be noted that when the device is loaded with hair pins, the position of the parts will be as indicated in Fig. 9, but when the hair pins have been removed, the position will be as shown in Fig. 8, with the openings 35 and 38 being in register to form a single opening. The hair pins are adapted to enter the head 29 to lie between the offset arms 3| thereof and. to bear against the shoulders 31a, under the pressure of the feeder element 32. The hair pin which lies against said shoulders is in proper position for ejection by the elements 39.

The ejector element 39 is fixed to a bar 4| which is secured to the base section [6 pivotally or fixedly; the ejector element may be guided in its relative reciprocation between the rod 26 and the adjacent end 42 of the bar but if the ejector element is fixed and rigid, the mechanism can be arranged to allow clearance for the relative angular movement which results when the device swings downward about the pintlerod l9, with the ejector element being guided in part between the side fianges of the guide member 21. The rod 4| may be journaled at Mo on section I6.

Retraction of the ejector element 39 is caused byspring means tending to elevate the ejector devices. Thus a rod 43 is secured to the bar 25, as in a cut out 44 thereof, and is pinned or spot welded to the guide element 21. Mounted on the lower end of this push rod 43 is a transverse cross rod 45, and a leaf spring 46, riveted at 41 to the bottom wall of the section I6, bears slidably upward on the said cross rod 45 to thus. tend to swing the ejector means clockwise with the box section I! moving as a unit therewith about the pintle rod i9.

It is noted that all of the ejector devices work inunison being mounted on common rods. l9- and 26 on a common box section IT, and being upwardly raised by a common rod 45. and spring 46-, and the ejector elements being all connected to a common rod 4|, while feeding is caused by springs 33 connected to a common rod l9 and trained over pulleys mounted on the common rod 26. Also the cover l8 forms a common actuator for ejection of hair pins. When the cover is downwardly pressed, the rods 43 are adapted to serve as a stop with the bottom wall of the section It to limit downward movement. A bracket 48' fixed to the bottom wall of the section I6 is engageable with the bar to limit the upward movement caused by the spring 46.

Preferably, the hair pins 23 are formed as a continuous series with intervening lines of weakness for separation as by being interconnected by an adhesive coating, or by a layer of a material that is easily severed on removing one of the hair pins. Such an arrangement, which maybe like that of a series of staples for a paper stapling machine, renders it easy to mount a large number of hair pins and causes the same to be reliably held without any chance of distortion to cause obstruction upon operation of the ejector means. Regardless how the pins are arranged, the feeder element 32 is first pulled to the rear against the tension of the coil spring 33, and the hair pins are loaded on the guide member 27 so as to straddle the same. Then the feeder element 32 is released to resiliently press the pins forward, so that the leading pin enters within the enlargement 30, 3| of the head 29 with the bight portion of the pin resting against the front edge of the opening 35, and the legs of the pin resting, if necesary, against the shoulders formed by the offsets 3|. Now, when the elector element 39 is operated, it engages the bight portion of the pin and moves it upward, breaking the adhesive connection, if any, with the adjacent pin. The pin is now in the position shown in Fig. 3, ready for removal.

In Figs. 11 and 12 is shown a modified mounting comprising a thin metal channel 50 for mounting a large number of hair pins 23 in side by side parallel relation to each other for insertion as a unit in the dispenser. Using the same structure heretofore described, it is necessary to provide a clearance so that the feeder element 32a shall slidably seat on the channel mounting 50, with the latter stopped at its forward end by a small lug on the guide member 21a. Thus the frontward movement of the mounting 50 is limited, and the hair pins are pushed off the mounting by the feeder 32a. for successive ejection as previously described. When all the hair pins have been consumed, the mounting an is removed and another unit is inserted as before.

I claim:

l. A dispensing device comprising a casing split to provide a plurality of telescopically interengaging casing sections, a cover for said casing, dispensing means for successive articles mounted in said casing, said dispensing means having elements one of which is movable to and fro relatively to the other element for dispensing articles, means whereby the dispensing means is operated by a telescopic movement of said casing sections, including means for mounting said elements in respective casing sections, means for resiliently restoring said sections to initial position, said cover having an opening for the discharge of articles dispensed, said cover being openable for reloading the dispensing means.

2. A hair pin dispensing device including an elongated guide member adapted to fit in hair pins disposed transversely thereof, a head thereon, a feeder element slidable along the guide member into cooperation with the head to feed articles to the head, an ejector rod, said guide member and head having an opening in advance of the feeder element, said ejector being movable through said opening transversely of the guide member for engaging in the bight of a hair pin for ejecting the same with the bight portion foremost.

3. A hair pin dispensing device including an elongated guide member adapted to fit in hairpins disposed transversely thereof, a head thereon, a feeder element slidable along the guide member into cooperation with the head to feed articles to the head, an ejector rod, said guide member and head having an opening in advance of the feeder element, said ejector being movable through said opening transversely of the guide member for engaging in the bight of a hair pin for ejecting the same with the bight portion foremost, said head having an extension at the side of the said opening nearest to the feeder element, said extension being offset so as to closely overlie the feeder element upon movement thereof close to the head as the hair pins are consumed.

4. A hair pin dispensing device including a guide member adapted to fit in hairpins disposed transversely thereof, a head thereon, a feeder element slidable along the guide member into cooperation with the head to feed articles to the head, an ejector rod, said guide member and head having an opening in advance of the feeder element, said ejector being movable through said opening transversely of the guide member for engaging in the bight of a hair pin for ejecting the same with the bight portion foremost, said head having a channel shaped extension, the walls whereof are offset to extend above and along the sides of the guide element and located at a side of the said opening nearest to the feeder element, said feeder element being of channel form and being adapted to enter said extension, the flanges of said extension affording shoulders at the points of offset serving as stops for the hair pins.

5. A hair pin dispensing device including a guide member adapted to fit in hairpins disposed transversely thereof, a head thereon, a feeder element slidable along the guide member into cooperation with the head to feed articles to the head, an ejector rod, said guide member and head having an opening in advance of the feeder element, said ejector being movable through said opening transversely of the guide member for engaging in the bight of a hair pin for ejecting the same with the bight portion foremost, said feeder element having its leading feeding edge formed with a notch, and the ejector element being adapted to enter said notch for positively engaging and ejecting the last hair pin.

6. A dispenser including a dispensing means for articles including an elongated guide member adapted to fit in hairpins and along which the hairpins are fed to one end at which they are dispensed, a support, means pivotally mounting said member at its opposite end on the support, said dispensing means including a downwardly projecting ejector element mounted on the support at a different pivot point whereby the dispensing means is actuated by downward pivotal movement of said member, and means for automatically restoring said member and said downward projecting element to initial position.

7. A device including a container having a base box section, a top section therefor, a plurality of dispensing means in the top section having main portions, ejector elements cooperating therewith, a plurality of cross elements fixed to the top section and serving as a common mounting for the dispensing means, the ejector elements being mounted in the base section, said sections being pivotally interconnected, the different dispensing means being operated as a unit by downward pivotal movement of the top secion.

8. A dispensing device including a box, a dis-, pensing means therein for hairpins or the like, the box comprising a bottom section and a cover means whereby the dispensing means is enclosed, said cover means bein split to provide a top cover portion and a lower flange portion, the top portion being movable relatively to the flange portion for opening the box for reloading the dispensing means, the dispensing means including a first relatively fixed ejector element for a hairpin secured to the bottom section, a second element fixed to the flange portion, the latter being movable relative to the bottom section for actuating the second element, the second element cooperating with the first element to cause ejection of a hairpin upon downward movement of the second element, resilient means urging the second element upward, the top cover portion resting on the flange portion and serving to manually depress the fiange portion and hence the second element, the top cover portion having an opening registering with said ejector element to permit discharge of a hairpin, whereby a series of dispensing means can be housed 'in said box and operated as a unit for ejecting a plurality of hairpins.

9. A dispensing device including a dispensing means having an elongated carrier bar for hairpins or the like, an ejector element, and a dispensing member on said bar serving to position the hairpins successively for ejection by the ejector element, a container section, a collar-like member extending around and above the container section and being movable relatively thereto, a pintle hingedly interconnecting at one end the container section and the collar-like member, the bar being secured to the collar-like member so as to swing therewith, the ejector element being engaged with the container section for relative movement thereof and with respect to the dispensing member when the latter is depressed, a spring upwardly urging the collar-like member to permit the dispensing member to position a hairpin over the ejector element, and an openable cover resting on the collar-like member and movable upward and downward therewith upon operation of the dispensing means, the cover having an opening registering with the ejector element for the passage of a hairpin, the cover being manually depressible against the force of the spring for causing discharge of a hairpin, and the cover being openable for loading the dispensing means with hairpins.

10. A device according to claim 9 wherein pivot means interconnects the ejector member and the container section so that the latter maintains a relatively constant angle to the dispensing member in course of operation for accurately ejecting the hairpins.

11. A dispensing device for hairpins, and the like, comprising a container having a bottom section, a top section, and a cover for the top section, for causing the container to be normally closed, the top section being movable relative to the bottom section and moving the cover therewith, the cover being movable relative to the top section for opening the container, a dispensing means in the container comprising an ejector element mounted in the bottom section, a hairpin feeder element mounted in the top section for movement therewith, resilient means for causing upward movement of the top section and the feeder element and the latter cooperating with the ejector element so that the feeder element is adapted to cause movement of a hairpin to ejecting position relative to the ejector element when the feeder element is in raised position, whereby hairpins can be successively fed for ejection, the cover having an opening registerin with said ejector element, the cover being adapted to be manually depressed to downwardly move the top section and the feeder element relative to the ejector element to cause the latter to cause ejection of a hairpin through said opening in the cover.

CHARLES A. HANF. 

